This week is all about the colors of the rainbow! Colors are everywhere. When I was planning for this week, I didn’t want to make it too complicated. We are going to do many of our routine activities for the week with the goal in mind to be purposeful when talking about colors. For example, we are adding on to a bank of two-word combinations

Black-Cat

Yellow-Banana

Orange-Hat

The goal is to be more mindful in the hustle and bustle of the day to talk about colors, label colors as we see them, and try to work in some silly games that we may not have had in the plans originally. Our little one knows her colors already, but I am learning that language is all about confidence when it comes to speaking. I want to build her assurance when it comes to speaking, and also add on to the knowledge that she already has been working on so far. This post includes book recommendations, day-to-day activities for the morning, and some links to music from YouTube to get you and your little one moving.

What is one of the biggest lessons you have learned since becoming a parent or caregiver?

I would answer this question by saying: “I never expected to learn so much about myself and regulating my own emotions, reactions, and feelings in any given situation.”

While I am not quick to react to something, I do know that 13 years spent in a middle school classroom has made my default responses to things sarcastic and short. Now that we have a little one, I want to make sure she is raised understanding her feelings matter and are validated no matter what.

Feelings are a huge topic of conversation in all aspects of parenting. You will find this type of work almost everywhere in the multiverse that is mom blogging. This next week of activities focuses on a theme that holds immense importance in every conversation I have had so far that talks about motherhood– 'All About Feelings' activities for our little ones. From joyful giggles to big tears, this week will be about helping toddlers understand, express, and embrace their emotions. While some of the toddler tantrums are indeed “terrible,” some of the best words I have heard are that it isn’t a tantrum; they are not able to regulate their bodies, emotions, thoughts, or feelings. This idea of regulation made so much more sense to me because when we are upset, angry, or sad, often our own adult bodies seem like they are struggling for stability. Enter into the chat a 2-year-old with a limited vocabulary, shorter attention span, and increased need for control.

So, how do we help regulation?

I think the first step is by talking about what those feelings are and being able to label them as they come up. This post outlines some introduction activities you can use to start talking about feelings, labeling emotions, and making some ridiculous faces along the way.

The first week of working in a more structured routine means that we HAVE to start with identity work. I would do this type of activity if the kids were toddlers or in high school, and it seems even more important that this little one is my own. Anything that we are learning has to start with her interests. This week’s theme is a heartwarming topic that's close to every parent's heart: All About Me and Affirmations. I wanted to include the activities that we were going to focus on for the week and how they connect to each other. The goal is to keep those tiny hands busy but also lay the foundation for a strong sense of self-confidence and positivity. This post includes an overview of morning activities for Monday-Thursday. So, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, get ready to dive into the world of imaginative play, and let's celebrate our toddlers as the incredible individuals they are!

When I spent over a decade in the classroom, it never occurred to me that I would use those lesson-planning skills as a new mama. However, as our little one gets bigger and bigger, I can see my role as a teacher start to creep into the picture a bit more as we are moving to have more structured mornings in terms of activities and having some goals. Our little one is two, so we aren’t in a rush to get into a full-blown lesson schedule, but she really loves a schedule. I think her mama does, too.

The main goal of our time together is always to play, be outside as much as possible, and have fun.

But, with her being home with me, my teacher brain also needs the outlet of doing lesson planning and looking at different activities for our little one. Part of what fuels teachers is the creative input and output of ideas surrounding learning. I wanted to focus on the morning time after breakfast when we got back from being outside and before lunch. If she were enrolled in a 2’s program, she would be attending a class 2-3 times a week that would work with her on a “get-ready-for-preschool” curriculum. This isn’t that.

This is more so open-ended learning with goals and themed activities to have some fun each week. This morning routine strikes the perfect balance between work commitments on my end and those precious moments with my little explorer. From storytimes that spark imagination to the sensory bins and water tables that ignite their curiosity, we'll journey through different creative crafts, drawing, baking, and grooving to music and movement throughout the week. I have figured out by now that each mama is different and each kid is different, but I am hoping to share our learning routines and journey along the way as we figure out how to work, play, and grow together!